Group Participation and Satisfaction: Results from a PBL Computer-Supported Module

Special education policy requires schools to make disciplinary decisions concerning students with disabilities within a multidisciplinary team. In order to respond to this mandate, teacher educators must ensure that teachers have group collaboration and decision making skills. This article describes a multimedia problem-based learning module designed to develop group collaboration skills through a simulated activity of a student with disabilities found in possession of drugs in school. The study explored the group decision-making process and measured individuals' satisfaction and participation using a modified version of Olaniran's satisfaction questionnaire. Results indicated (a) that the group decision was more strongly influenced by one or a minority of individuals instead of the majority and (b) while satisfaction ratings and contribution during group work score results were high, videotaped observations showed unequal contributions by individuals. A discussion is provided about the impact of individual group members on the group and the disparity between satisfaction ratings and actual participation during the group decision-making process and recommendations for future research noted. ********** Current educational policy requires schools to collaborate in multidisciplinary teams to identify and respond to the needs of students with a wide range of learning and behavioral disabilities. In fact, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) of 1997 prohibits a single person from making unilateral decisions, particularly when it comes to disciplining students with disabilities. Policy mandates notwithstanding, teacher educators recognize the value of developing group collaboration skills in future educators. Group work is used extensively in higher education and its benefits include more interaction among students, time for students to participate simultaneously and learn from each other, and higher student participation in guiding discussions (Holen, 2000; Williams & Williams, 1997). Despite its benefits, group work may also produce negative outcomes (Knotek, 2003), including unequal group participation during the group-decision making process. To be sure, the group decision-making process is complex and not always inclusive of all group members' opinions. In a study examining interactions among members of a multidisciplinary team during problem-solving, Knotek (2003) found that members of the team with high social power and influence greatly influenced the way in which the larger team acted. He found that team members adopted the language of the high status team members and their conceptualization of the problem. Holen (2000) noted that group members tacitly assume different roles that may sometimes be uneven and hierarchical, resisting change once they are established. According to Olaniran (1996) group work may engender social loafing, or free-loading, in others. Like Holen (2000), Olaniran noted that participation in a group is influenced by status hierarchy and proposes that unequal participation among group members increases production blocking. Therefore, to promote more equal participation among group members and to ensure that all students reach the objectives of educational content that courses intend to transmit to students educators ought to examine group work more closely to determine the nature of group work and how groups arrive at decisions. Olaniran (1996) presented a model of individual member satisfaction in the group decision-making process. Satisfaction is the sum of an individual's negative and positive feelings to a set of variables, and which tend to revolve around three common variables; (a) status consensus, (b) goal accomplishment or progress toward the group goal, and (c) participation. …